


Two Sides of the River

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Baldur's Gate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-21
Updated: 2005-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 02:09:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1626008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the battle of the Throne, loose ends still need to be tied and the Bhaal child is on a mission to create a better future. Valygar/Mazzy, Sarevok, Aerie</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Sides of the River

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tami

 

 

1\. Yin

Mazzy Fentan had a reputation. Her name brought fear into the hearts of criminals and hope to those who could not fight for themselves. Ever since she became a knight, Mazzy had walked the path of righteousness. Still, there were times when even a paladin was sorely tested.

,,I assure you, milady, the craftsmanship is first class. You won`t find anything like it along the sword coast."

Mazzy looked at the shiny, deformed figure of a goblin and nodded. ,,I`m sure." It was quite possibly the ugliest piece of art she had ever seen. ,,Does it have any magical properties?"

The salesman gasped as if she had suggested the small figure should dance, sing and wear pink accessories. ,,What need is there for magic when faced with such pure and utter beauty?"

The man was clearly delusional. Perhaps proximity to the ugly little idols he sold to unwitting travelers had had some detrimental effect on his sanity. ,,I wish I had the gold," - one white lie never hurt anyone - ,,but the innkeeper has the last of my coins. I`m truly sorry to have to miss such a magnificent opportunity."

It seemed as if he believed her, at last he turned his attention to another unsuspecting customer of the ,,Prancing Ogre".

,,Whoa, that was close."

Mazzy rolled her eyes at the young elf who`d been watching the exchange. Kern had stayed after the rest of her party had gone off with their share of the bounty from clearing the wild-wood catacombs. Mazzy suspected he wanted something other than rousing conversation from her.

,,If only they weren`t quite so hideous."

Kern laughed. ,,Truly monstrous, those little dolls. D`you think he made them himself?"

,,Perhaps he`s been cursed for committing a vile crime."

,,No crime can be so vile to deserve such punishment. Think of an eternity spent with these things!"

Kern seemed to enjoy his own idea because he laughed so hard his face turned purple. Mazzy decided not to tell him, for fear of damaging is fragile ego. Kern had a bit of vanity about his elven features.

,,Elves and sprites," came a familiar voice from her left, ,,you can never quite trust them unless it is about a matter of aesthetics."

Mazzy`s eyes widened as she turned to find an old friend hunched over the bar like a bag full of wet wool.

,,Aerie!"

The elf flinched. ,,Yes, yes. Of course it`s me. Or have I changed from the outside as much as I have from the inside?"

Mazzy frowned but decided not to react to the challenge. ,,I was just surprised, dear, nothing else. I didn`t expect to see any of you in a place like this."

,,You`re here, are you not?"

Mazzy sighed and sat down next to Aerie. It took away some of the difference in their heights. ,,I`m traveling the dark places. It`s part of my quest to become a true paladin, no matter what the order thinks of it. People still need help, even after the Bhaal child ascended."

,,Not all things can be helped by miracles and shining lights."

Mazzy nodded. ,,Exactly."

Aerie grinned, but the light of her teeth didn`t reflect the darkness in her eyes. ,,What does _she_ think?"

Mazzy shrugged. ,,I haven`t been to see her since the business with the Throne. Too much to do and not enough time."

,,I suppose you should go and talk to her then. She seems... lonely."

,,How can a god be lonely? They have the whole universe to talk to!"

,,The Bhaal child learned of loneliness long before she knew of the gods. It`s not a feeling that can be mended by worship and sacrifices"

,,She doesn`t have many equals, does she? Even among the gods she is special, with her mortal roots and the powers of the god of murder."

Aerie stared off into a space that opened only to her. ,,Now more than ever, she`s a bastard child, a creature without home or hearth. We are her only family, the only thing she can hold on to in the vastness of space between this world and the heavens."

In that moment Mazzy saw something within her old companion, perhaps it was some sort of aura, the seed of a cancerous growth in Aerie`s soul. For once, Mazzy knew with clarity what she would need to do to fix it.

,,Kern," she said to her companion, who`d been standing quietly behind her as he had done a hundred times, waiting for Mazzy to finish a conversation about gold or glory. ,,This is Aerie, an old friend of mine. Aerie, this is Kern."

It was nothing like the big stories, no bells chiming or birds chirping, but the moment Kern bowed his head in deference before the beautiful Aerie, Mazzy knew that she had made the right choice. There were paths set out for all of them in this world, some brighter than others, and this meeting may just have saved two should from darkness.

,,Well," Mazzy said, ,,I`m really tired from all that walking. Why don`t you entertain my friend for a while, Kern? I`ll leave the room unlocked, just make sure you don`t fall over the supplies when you come in." It was code for ,feel free to stay out all night`.

She went to bed feeling good about herself. The next morning she wasn`t surprised to find Kern`s pack gone and a letter with Aerie`s handwriting on it. In long and elaborate sentences it said: ,,Thanks, old hag. So long, until we meet on the other side." Mazzy smiled all the way back to Athkatla.

* * *

Mazzy had wanted to become a paladin ever since she was saved from wild dogs by a traveling knight. Still, temples and worshippers set her teeth on edge, something the order had barely tolerated. Where in the world was a paladin allowed to avoid the houses of the gods, eh? Well, Mazzy always did have a way to do her own thing.

The temple of the Bhaal child had a very distinct atmosphere. No incense, no chanting, just a nice, clean tavern with a bit of godly blessing and the best wine this side of the ocean.

,,Can I help you, milady?" Okay, the priests were a lot friendlier than your garden variety barmaids, but they wore the same suggestive outfits. Mazzy had to admit that the Bhaal child had done a fabulous job as a god so far.

,,I`m here to... I`m Mazzy Fentan and I`m expected." Not entirely true, but good enough.

The young priest nodded, perhaps a little nervously, and led her to the back. A door led to a room that made every bit the impression of a concubine`s bed chambers. A very rich concubine.

,,A little over the top, but very nice."

A sharp laugh came from all around her, like the walls themselves were alive. It made Mazzy think of nights at a rundown tavern, of starlight across dark paths.

,,I`m a god, they tell me. I should present myself with a little decadence." Swirling light bounced around the room and solidified into a small female body.

,,Hey," Mazzy said, smiling at the old friend. ,,How`s business?"

The Bhaal child laughed and fell back on the pillows that lined the floor. ,,So so, I guess. I figured out a few really cool tricks." She went on to prove her words by snapping her fingers, creating a small vortex in the air that spat out a perfect magical sword.

Mazzy raised a brow. ,,Neat party trick."

,,Yes, I know, but not very useful." She waved a hand and the sword disappeared.

Mazzy grinned at her friend. ,,So basically, you`re bored and you want something to do, but they won`t let you out to play."

,,Can you imagine? It`s not _proper_ for a creature of my status to go out and kill things. Not proper! Bhaal would have stuffed their propriety down their throats."

,,And we are all infinitely glad that he`s not around to do it."

The Bhaal child sighed. ,,Yes, yes of course. But I do miss the heat of battle."

,,Well, you can switch for a while, I`m tired of the bad food and unfriendly inns."

Both women laughed at that. Mazzy might grow accustomed to a more comfortable life given the chance, but she was no simple halfling. She had chosen the way of the paladin, even against the will of the order, now she lived it to the full extent of her abilities. A little hardship didn`t bother her.

,,The great Mazzy Fentan? I should have to be far more removed from the real world than I am now to believe that."

,,Of course, it`s not the way of a paladin to complain about creature comforts. However, I am in the business of helping people and as such I offer you my services. Decent help is harder to come by these days, not many people go in for adventure when they can get rich growing corn on their fields."

,,It`s funny," the goddess said, ,,I actually do need a bit of assistance."

,,I thought you might."

Smiling, the Bhaal child leaned over to Mazzy with a vaguely conspiratorial gesture. It reminded Mazzy of the time they were in charge of that thieves' guild branch. ,,I`ve been keeping tabs on you and the others, making sure you`re all right."

Mazzy frowned, remembering a vague feeling she kept having at the most inopportune times, like when she severed a hydra`s fourth head with clinical precision and suddenly there had been that tingling at the back of her skull, where no scratching finger could reach. ,,Yes, go on."

,,Well," the Bhaal child said, ,,Aerie you met, and her future was on the very edge, but she`s gonna be fine, and Sarevok, I always worry about him. Minsc, oh you can probably guess, he`s back home and everyone is completely nuts about his new witch -"

,,So Viconia went with him after all, I`m a little surprised by that."

,,No one was more surprised than Viconia, she`d never expected to get so used to life on the surface... I have to say, I`m truly proud of all of you."

Mazzy tapped the rhythm to ,Glory to the Lord Ilmater' on her thigh, wondering exactly why the Bhaal child needed her help if they were all doing so fabulously well. Maybe she just needed someone to get milk and incense from the next discount merchant. ,,Yes, I see. Was there anything in particular you wanted from me?"

The Bhaal child sighed. ,,Uhm, okay... this is going to be a difficult thing to ask."

,,It won`t get easier by putting it off. May I suggest you just get it over with, like ripping off the herbal bandages Viconia used to make?"

,,I need someone I can trust completely, that`s why you are my only option."

,,Thank you."

,,A few days ago Valygar Corthala disappeared."

Mazzy tensed, all muscles ready for an invisible enemy. Valygar! They had been companions for months and always there had been something- some sort of conflict- between them. ,,I remember him."

,,I thought you would." The Bhaal child looked suddenly tired and far too human. ,,Valygar was working for me when he disappeared. He was supposed to collect information on a few of the lesser gods by infiltrating their temples, because Helm had suggested to me that we were facing similar problems as the one we had with the Sightless Eye cult."

,,And then he vanished?" Mazzy would never admit to the worry that began forming in her mind. Valygar's health was no business of hers.

,,Usually I would be able to feel him, his essence, even if he were dead, but there`s nothing. Like he never existed at all. The only way that`s even possible is if Valygar angered one of the gods and got himself transported through an interdimensional portal."

,,That is some very serious magic. Are you sure you don`t want someone like Jaheira or Edwin to handle this?"

The Bhaal child blinked. Mazzy went over her sentence in her head and coughed. Silence. Then, ,,Edwin?"

They broke into fits of laughter, slightly hysterical at the edges, and Mazzy realized that this wasn`t just about being the best for the job, but also about the job being a perfect fit for her. Somehow in the wisdom of godhood, the Bhaal child had come to the conclusion that Mazzy needed a quest and there it was, full of little complications and tests of courage.

,,Of course I`ll do it," Mazzy said, feeling her heart beat hard against her chest.

* * *

Sarevok dreamt of blood.

Blood and fire. He ran from it, most nights, and sometimes he ran toward it, reveling in the feel of heat and slickness on his skin. He could have been the lord of all this, of destruction and despair, but the true successor to Bhaal`s throne had stopped him twice. With a weapon first and with truth the second time.

The Bhaal child had felt compassion, even sympathy, and it had healed a wound so deep in Sarevok`s heart he couldn`t have seen the scope of it without her.

Still, the only thing he`s ever been good at was killing, so her request came as a bit of a shock.

,,You are asking me to babysit."

The Bhaal child laughed, stroking his skin with that soft voice that made him remember a warm, green childhood he`d never had. ,,Not in so many words, dear brother. Mazzy needs a companion and you are the best there is."

,,Tell me the truth. Minsc can`t make it in time, can he?"

,,Everyone is really really busy right now."

,,Should I even ask how many people you considered before me?"

,,Not a one, I swear."

Sarevok glared. The Bhaal child smiled. He sighed as he realized that she had time on her side, being immortal and all. ,,I will do as you ask."

,,I never doubted you."

As he left to bring the joyous news to Mazzy Fentan, the Bhaal child closed a book and snapped her fingers to make it disappear. The words on its pages had changed and that was enough.

* * *

They traveled for a few hours before Mazzy reached the end of her patience. She stopped in her tracks, scattering the leaves around her feet.

,,Just speak, Sarevok, why did she send you here? Was it not enough to put me up on this quest for that squire, did she have to make me suffer on the road as well?"

Sarevok grumbled. ,,Drudging through the undergrowth is certainly my idea of a good time, sire."

Mazzy kicked the ground for good measure. ,,I have always been loyal, above and beyond the call of duty. Why is she punishing me?"

,,For a paladin you sure have a lot of issues."

Mazzy spun on Sarevok, hair and eyes on fire, ,,I have issues with people like you, killers and murderers who have not an ounce of compassion in their dark and dreary souls."

Sarevok looked down on her with a secret smile. ,,Such big emotion in such a little girl, you must be bursting with all the things you don`t let yourself feel."

Birds chirped nervously in the trees above them and the wind howled its approval of the conflict. Mazzy drew her broadsword, the weapon of choice for dirty little skirmishes, and swung it artfully in a half circle.

Sarevok crossed his arms and grinned. ,,I think I see why she puts such faith in you, halfling. What you don`t have in size, you make up for in spirit. Though listen to this bit of advice from someone who knows: one of these days you`re going to trip over your ego. And _that_ fall is a long one."

* * *

No blood was spilled in that particular moment, though Mazzy volunteered to hunt their dinner. Perhaps two wild boars and a couple of pheasants were a bit over the top, but she no longer felt like killing her companion, so the benefits outweighed the cost. Besides, Sarevok sure enjoyed cleaning the little buggers.

They reached the small village by nightfall the next day.

,,It would be somewhat convenient to find him right away," Sarevok said, ,,but I suppose the temple is worth checking out."

Mazzy glared and stayed silent. The temple didn`t hold any fanatic cults, but they did find a few witnesses who had seen Valygar the week before, remembering him with fondness. Mazzy developed a migraine at the back of her skull that seemed to flare up whenever people gushed about Valygar.

The temple priest sent them into the woods where they found a cave. In the cave they talked to a crazy old hermit who smelled like cabbage and told them about a spell. He gave them detailed instructions and sent them on their merry way with maniacal laughter. The instructions lead them to a shrine and another priest, who agreed to help them if they procured a valuable item of questionable power for him that he had ,,lost".

,,I`m beginning to feel like we`re stuck in a really bad fairy tale, the one that goes on and on forever until we die of old age or simply give up."

Sarevok laughed darkly. ,,I`m sure we can hold on just a tiny bit longer, sire," he spat the last word like an insult.

Two stolen objects, three secret passages and twelve riddles later, Sarevok was inclined to agree with Mazzy about the fairy tale. However, he was smart enough not to say it to her face to avoid her gloating for the rest of their adventure, which could turn out to last considerably longer than either of them would have expected.

,,Sarevok," Mazzy said after yet another dead end, ,,we may need to write all this down, all the little hints are blurring together in my mind."

Sarevok produced a small notebook, frayed and abused, with more loose pages than fastened ones, and held it just above Mazzy`s reach.

,,Oh, very mature," she said, refusing to take the bait, even though part of her was itching to grab his ankles and pull him down into the mud.

A few days later they got back to the first village, where the priest confessed - after a helpful hand from Sarevok - that he`d been instrumental in the plot to kidnap and interrogate the Bhaal child`s investigator. He led them to the room where Valygar had been imprisoned, emptiness greeting them as they walked through the door.

,,A dimensional prison? That`s pretty high maintenance for someone like you," Sarevok said to the priest. He could smell the sulfur in the air.

Mazzy investigated the room for any hidden nooks or passages, buttons that would turn this from a magical to a practical problem. Her rudimentary knowledge of the high arts wouldn`t do them any good in here, and Sarevok hadn`t cast a spell for years.

,,Here`s the scroll," the priest said, already backing out of the room.

Mazzy caught the piece of parchment, but didn`t get to the priest in time to stop him from leaving. Now they were alone in the dank little room, just waiting for someone to say it out loud.

,,I think we might need some help."

Sarevok fixed Mazzy with a glare. ,,I see you have great faith in my abilities, sire."

,,Oh, now who is the one with the ego? Are you sure you can cast such a difficult spell? I wouldn`t want to put you in any danger."

Laughing, Sarevok made a grab for the scroll. ,,I appreciate your concern, however misguided it may be."

So Mazzy waited and watched as Sarevok drew a magical circle around the two of them.

,,For protection," he said.

,,I didn`t know you were that superstitious. Those things don`t actually work, do they?"

Another glare sent her way and Mazzy decided to stay quiet, if only to stay out of the way of any accidental spill-over. Sarevok began the incantation in a low sing-song voice, the sound almost hypnotic in the small space, echoing back from the walls.

,,This is powerful magic," Sarevok said between verses, ,,I`m not sure I can control it properly."

,,Maybe if you would concentrate a little more," Mazzy threw in. ,,Should I maybe duck behind something?"

They would never know what went wrong, perhaps her laughter disturbed Sarevok`s concentration or he simply lost control of the waves of energy spilling into their world from somewhere beyond, but the very moment a naked figure appeared in the vortex of light, Sarevok began screaming. The more the mass solidified in the air between them, the more Sarevok doubled over with pain, twitching as the lightning crashed into him over and over again.

It ended in an anticlimax, the body dropped to the floor, the light faded and Sarevok went quiet, his gasping breath the only sounds in the room. Mazzy sighed and went over to her companion, more worried about explaining to the Bhaal child how she managed to get her brother killed than his actual person.

,,Check on Valygar, you fool," Sarevok said, coughing tiny drops of blood.

That`s when Mazzy heard the moaning.

2\. Yang

Valygar Corthala had his experiences with magic, none of them particularly good. With a genealogy like his, perhaps it was simply fate that he would end up killed by a fancy spell wrought by someone who hardly knew how to open wooden doors, not to mention doors in the fabric of the world itself.

It was a surprise to see at all, but so much more surprising to see Mazzy Fentan checking his wounds with the efficiency of a soldier. She had learned her medicine on the road, like the best healers among the druids and wood elves. Not that she was letting any of that hidden gentleness out to play, Mazzy seemed to take great pleasure in roughing him up while making sure he wasn`t bleeding out to die.

,,This is unexpected," Valygar heard the voice of his friend, but there was no body to go with it. The Bhaal child had come to check up on their progress and Valygar groaned, realizing he hadn`t done any of the things he`d promised.

,,I`m sorry," he ground out between gasps, ,,I got a little... side-tracked."

Laughter carried through the room, like the chirping of birds in the early morning hours. ,,My dear friend, what makes you think you haven`t done exactly what I needed you to do?"

,,It would be a plan worthy of you," Mazzy said, finally satisfied that all of Valygar`s wounds were superficial.

The Bhaal child floated over to her brother, leaving the scent of spring in her wake. Valygar couldn`t remember ever seeing her this radiant, like Ilmater himself had designed her silken robes.

,,Well, this looks really painful." She snapped and the light faded, turning her into the person she`d been before the ascension to godhood, complete with scars and imperfections. Sarevok on the other hand turned from half-dead and full-crisp to a healthy, human color.

,,He`s going to be so mad about that," Mazzy pointed out, but the Bhaal child simply smiled.

,,He`ll forgive me, it`s not every time one gets an entirely new skin for free. They charge horrendous prices for that sort of thing in Athkatla."

Mazzy shivered. ,,I remember, just promise that skin didn`t come from someone who might still need it."

Valygar coughed, trying to gain the women`s attention. ,,When you are quite finished, I think we should leave as soon as possible. This place is full of people who might not look too kindly upon the new god of murder."

The Bhaal child spun around, showing off her form-fitting armor that made her look exactly like any other warrior in Faerun, only impossibly brighter. Valygar decided to keep that bit of information to himself and merely nodded at his friend. Trying to get up he found that the time in another dimension had taken its toll on his stamina. His legs trembled weakly beneath him, giving no support to his large frame.

Unexpectedly it was Mazzy who used her sturdy figure to support Valygar as they stumbled out of the room. The Bhaal child was busy carrying her brother Sarevok, who still seemed to be out for the count, obviously tired from his magical recovery.

,,Don`t let this go to your head, squire," Mazzy hissed against his chest, ,,I`m not in the business of carrying people around."

Valygar meant to argue the point, but he no longer felt the same old conflict between them. He was almost fond of this great warrior with the bad attitude, not that she was the type to become friends with people like him - not with that strange animosity she seemed to feel toward him.

,,I`ll keep that in mind," Valygar said, enjoying the warmth of her hands on his skin.

* * *

The four of them together gave dinner and camp the feeling of old times. The Bhaal child stayed with them for now, enjoying a break from her godly duties to play warrior again. She`d been a hero in her time, among the greatest the Sword Coast had seen for years. Even when she broke the rules to help her friends, she never went out of her way to hurt anyone.

,,I didn`t know that Sarevok was still in the area, last I heard he`d supposedly gone South and disappeared."

Over a campfire even the worst stories had a tinge of distance, the feeling of long gone or far in the future.

The Bhaal child smiled, her eyes on the pale face of her brother. ,,I trust him, I couldn`t bear to see him go the path of his life alone. It`s a fate I wouldn`t wish on anyone."

Valygar sighed. His own life, long as it may yet turn out to be, looked bleak and lonely from where he sat, even revenge was no longer there to catch his fall.

,,I don`t see why you`d need anyone to hold your hand all the time," Mazzy said, her voice suggesting she`d been a little liberal with the mead.

Sarevok grumbled something into his bread, chewing the words along with his dinner. The Bhaal child laughed out loud, but Valygar detected a note of regret in there somewhere. Maybe she had remembered the things they lost along the way, like Imoen`s innocence. After their imprisonment by Jon Irenicus, neither of them had been quite the same, or so he`d been told by Minsc in the darker hours of their travels together. Sarevok had taken the long road to redemption, Imoen had lost her way. Maybe the balance of the universe wasn`t just a figment of Jaheira`s imagination.

,,For the longest time I was intent to keep myself away from human company, to make sure no child of mine would have to suffer the same way I did. Now I don`t know how to approach anyone without a sword in my hand."

Mazzy`s eyes twinkled brightly across the fire, like stars in the night. ,,And the world is better off for it."

Valygar didn`t quite know what to say to that, but the Bhaal child reacted immediately. ,,Mazzy," she said, her voice cold and low, ,,will you follow me once more into danger? Do you trust my judgment, even if it means sharing the road with Valygar for a while?"

Valygar didn`t know where this was going, but he trusted his friend with more than his life. If the Bhaal child had a plan, he would follow. Mazzy glared at them from the other side of the fire, her eyes not leaving Valygar as she answered.

,,Of course, there`s no question. As long as he does what I tell him to and keeps away from me, everything should be fine."

The Bhaal child smiled. ,,Thank you, all of you. We`ll break up camp early tomorrow morning and head east. I have to talk to Cernd before we can embark on this adventure."

* * *

Mazzy always kept either the Bhaal child or Sarevok between them, only addressing Valygar through them and only when it was absolutely necessary. It reeked of more than just dislike, it was as if she had made him a symbol for a conflict going on deep within her heart. Valygar could deal with that, too, if it was what his friends needed.

They stayed in Cernd`s forest for a few weeks, collecting information as well as filling up their packs. It seemed the Bhaal child had planned a mission of great magnitude for them, a mission that would endanger their lives as well as their souls, but she wouldn`t say more than the occasional veiled comment about curiosity and courage.

,,I can honestly say I`m tired of this place," said Mazzy.

Valygar jumped, startled not by the quiet approach but by the fact that Mazzy was actually talking to him. Perhaps the demons inside her had called a truce, or maybe she was just as bored as he was and needed a punching bag.

,,I`m honored," he said, quite impressed by the venom in his voice, ,,I wasn`t aware I deserved your attention."

Mazzy rolled her eyes. She didn`t seem to have any patience for his hurt feelings. ,,Please, we both know why she put us up to this. Haven`t you heard the stories? She`s abusing her power to play match maker."

Valygar frowned, thinking of Minsc and Viconia, the way they had fought over the tiniest things until she ended up saving Boo`s life and winning Minsc`s undying devotion. He also remembered the last time he`d seen Imoen, a shadow of herself, lonely and cold in the dark. No, the Bhaal child wasn`t using any of her powers to influence them, except maybe the bonds of friendship still connecting her to them.

,,She wants to see us happy, now that she will never find any happiness of her own."

Mazzy threw a small rock into the twilight of the forest, waiting for the _thunk!_ of it hitting the ground, but it never came. It was as unsatisfying as the rest of this place, leaving them full of unused energy. ,,She loves us, but maybe she shouldn`t concentrate too hard on this when there are wars to prevent and people to save."

,,She didn`t become a god to save the world," Valygar said, knowing it as the truth.

Mazzy looked over at him and for the first time Valygar saw vulnerability in her eyes. ,,Why did she become a god, then? She never wanted to rule, never in the whole time we were with her. Why did she choose to become a god at all?"

Valygar didn`t know the answer and was about to say so, when Sarevok stepped out of the shadows. He looked haggard, like someone who`d aged much to fast over the past few weeks. His new pink skin had started to grey, turning him into the same ghostly appearance he`d been since returning from the dead.

,,During the battle of the Throne a lot of you were hurt, severely and some mortally. I warned her not to take that step and she would have listened to me, but on the edge between this world and that of the gods, where the Throne rests no body can hold on to its soul for more than a few moments. If she had not become a god, most of you would have been lost forever."

Valygar blinked, trying to remember, but the battle of the Throne was blurred and vague in his mind. He`d been of the brink of death there, and the Bhaal child had gone against her own wishes to save him. He owed her more than he could ever repay.

,,Maybe though," said her voice from all around them, ,,maybe I became a god just to annoy you, little brother."

She appeared in the clearing dressed in the green robes of the druids. ,,Don`t you dare feel responsible. This is not your guilt to carry and I`m not doing anything to you. All I wish is to spend time with you on the road, to fight with you all at my side once more, for old times' sake - so I will never forget what it means to be mortal."

When Mazzy took his hand, Valygar was still too shocked from the Bhaal child`s plea to do anything other than hold on.

* * *

Sarevok stayed far away from the druids. Their ways still frightened him deep within the small part of his soul that remembered things before the darkness. One single moment and everything could have been different, one choice and he could have been where she was.

But then, Imoen would have been such a boring companion, and the Bhaal child`s forgiveness now meant more than a life full of righteousness. Besides, he had enjoyed the maiming and murdering a lot, he was just that kind of guy.

,,Where are you?"

He turned to her, waiting to see what outfit she would choose to dazzle him with. But the light didn`t turn into a body, she showed him her true self, which could mean a lot of things or nothing at all.

,,I`m right here, sister, or are you so blinded by your own light?"

She swirled around him like a butterfly. A huge, glowing butterfly.

,,They are slipping away from me. Soon they will go their own way and may never return. Then it`s just us again, like it was so long ago, before..."

Sarevok smiled, an unusual expression that used muscles he had no idea how to train. ,,Don`t flatter yourself, godling, if I had anyone who would love me like he loves her, I`d be gone in an instant."

,,And I would be happy for you," she said, hiding herself in a small, floating ball of shiny gold.

Sarevok reached out, almost touching her metallic skin, the prickle of energy enough to make him wince. ,,Well, then, rejoice because there is one, a woman of impeccable breeding and incredible power."

Silence, but he could see the thoughts and emotions flitting over her mirroring surface, or just beneath. The magic of it was both beautiful and melancholic. ,,I understand. Just promise you will stay for this one last quest, only until we find the answer to this riddle."

Sarevok had no heart for the beautiful things in life, but he did appreciate the glorious beauty of sadness. He would explain to her soon enough that only one creature in this world had ever managed to love him, and she was right here in front of him. For her sake, he would keep quiet - a little dampener to her ego wouldn`t hurt.

* * *

They stomped through jungles and deep forests, deserts and meadows. Their path led down the darkest caves and up the highest mountains, until they arrived at their destination: the original temple of Bhaal, the place of his birth.

,,It looks deserted," Sarevok said, but his fingers twitched on the hilt of his sword.

The Bhaal child trembled in her inappropriate clothing, but not from any cold the others could feel. Valygar watched as she debated their options with her brother, never once looking away from their heritage.

,,This is hard for her," Mazzy said, pretending not to seek Valygar`s warmth as she leaned close.

,,It would be," Valygar said, remembering the first step he took into the sphere of his ancestor.

The way down into the valley was long and harsh, but they barely felt the pebbles in their boots with their goal so close. Sarevok took point and killed quite a few small but vicious animals that tried to get in their way. Mazzy had her bow at the ready, Valygar gripped his katana tighter.

The temple itself lacked any sign of life. The spirit of the god of murder was strongest here, all life had a natural inclination to flee this place or stay as far away as possible. Valygar felt the pressure of it at the back of his mind, but he had a mission, a reason stronger than any instinct.

,,What are we looking for anyway?" Valygar asked.

The Bhaal child looked at him, really looked at him, and shrugged. ,,I don`t know."

Deeper and deeper they went into the temple, stalking through the catacombs like shadow cats. They ran into wraiths and ghosts, a vampire or two, all the dark creatures that called the underworld their home. The fighting felt familiar and exhilarating, but Valygar was aware of the danger in that rush. In the house of the god of murder, where the last of his power remained, one should not revel in killing.

It felt like hours and miles were between them and the surface when they finally reached the innermost chamber, the altar of Bhaal.

,,It`s..." Valygar had no words, and neither had the others.

The children of Bhaal had returned to the place of their father`s birth, a temple older than the earth it had grown from.

,,So," Sarevok said, quite irreverently, ,,what now?"

The Bhaal child sighed, her fingers stroking over the age-old stone. ,,We should bury it, burn it, or maybe drown it with an ocean of holy water."

,,That does seem a little over the top, doesn`t it?"

She stood, not looking at any of them. ,,He`s still here, the oldest, hardest part of him."

Sarevok placed his hand on her shoulder, Valygar could see his fingers trembling with tension. ,,Let him go," Sarevok said in a whisper, ,,he has no power now, so leave him this punishment - to watch you reign in every way he despised with his power and his name. It`ll hurt him more than death."

Valygar looked over to Mazzy. The halfling warrior looked smaller than ever, dwarfed by the huge architecture and the deep shadows. He couldn`t help himself, in this moment all he knew was that this woman had been there when he needed her and now she needed a shoulder to lean on.

,,Here," Valygar said, offering his arm, ,,let`s leave them to their good bye. We can talk to them on the long way home."

3\. Epilogue

The Bhaal child watched her friends grow old and die, she watched the world change, fall apart and rise anew. She jumped from world to world always looking forward, always with a heart full of hope.

Her people loved her, but she forbade them blind worship.

Even now, she still watched over the last descendants of her friends, knowing that this was her reason, this was the future and the power she had gained. This was worth everything. The words in the book of destiny had changed, her friends had had a true chance for a happy life. If that was all she could ever achieve as a god, then it was more than her father ever accomplished.

The temple of Bhaal, now buried deep in the ground, overgrown with vines and grass, still echoed with the angry cries of the first god of murder.

Children often told each other stories of ghosts in that forest, but nothing ever touched the travelers along its winding paths, as if someone was looking out for them.

The Bhaal child stayed and watched.

 


End file.
